Intimate Answers: Should I Have My Son Circumcised?

Q: I'm having a baby boy and wasn't planning to get him circumcised, until I heard that it may lower his prostate-cancer risk. Should I reconsider?

A: Not necessarily. This is a highly personal decision with no "right" answer. Most American men are circumcised, but the rate of circumcision among baby boys is declining. It might sound crazy, but some parents are choosing to let their sons determine if they want to be snipped down there, usually when they turn 18. If you want to decide based on medical info alone, here are the facts: The American Academy of Pediatrics does not recommend that circumcision be done routinely, since it's not medically necessary. There is a risk of bleeding (sometimes heavy) and infection, but these risks are very low and usually are not the ultimate factor in a parents' choice. It's true that a new study found a slightly lower risk of prostate cancer later in life in men who'd been circumcised, probably because the foreskin can harbor sexually transmitted infections linked to that type of cancer. The risk of UTIs and penile cancer may also be lower. That said, leaving the foreskin on the penis doesn't cause a guy to get STDs--unprotected sex is the culprit there. The bottom line is it's up to you as parents to decide what's best for your son.

Hilda Hutcherson, M.D., is a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City and the author of Pleasure. Send your questions to her at askhilda@redbookmag.com.